Luminaire for elongated tubular lamps



Nov. 25, 1952 G. R. BAUMGARTNER LUMINAIRE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Oct. 21. 1947 ZZ Z3 lm/enalorv: Geovgg R Baumggaavne,

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NOV 25, 1952 G. R. BAUMGARTNER LUMINAIRE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 21, 194'? lvenfk'or* 1 Gle-@Tige R. Baumavbnev,

b5' UW C"A www Patented Nov. 25, 1952 LUMINAIRE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS George R. Baumgartner, South Euclid, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application October 21, 1947, Serial No. 781,112

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to luminaires of the ceiling suspended type utilizing elongated fluorescent lamps.

An object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive luminaire of this type which is of simple structure easy to assemble and dismantle. Another object of my invention is to provide a stii, shallow combined wiring channel and reflector member for supporting the lamps, lamp holders, lamp ballasts and other parts of such luminaires. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of species thereof and from the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a luminaire embodying my invention and as seen from below; Fig. 2 is a side elevational, fragmentary view showing one end of the luminaire shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a part of the luminaire shown in Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View on a reduced scale of a support member providing a wiring channel and rellectors for a luminaire; Fig. 6 is a similar view of another support member of different structure; Fig. 7 is a l perspective view of another luminaire of my invention as seen from below; Fig. 8 is atransverse sectional view on an enlarged scale along the line 8-8 of Fig. '1 and Fig. 9 is a sectional view along the line 9-,9 of Fig. 8.

The luminaire illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing includes four elongated tubular fluorescent lamps I, 2, 3 and 4 of the double-ended type each having a single contact pin or prong (not shown) at each end for engaging the lamp holders and 6. Such lamps are commercially available in lengths up to approximately eight feet and suitable lamp holders therefor are also commercially available. Lamps of such length require an elongated rigid support. In the luminaire illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 the support is in the form of a shallow, elongated, stiff, tubular metal member 1 of flattened cross-section the interior of which provides a wiring channel 8 (Fig. 3) and the side and bottom surfaces thereof reflcctors for the lamps. As shown in Fig. 3 the bottom surface provides two trough shaped reilectors 9 and I0 which are elliptical in transverse section and the side surfaces II and I2 are curved to provide a portion oi an elliptically shaped trough.

The lamp holders 6 at one end of the luminaire are secured to a transverse strap I3 constituting a lamp holder support attached to the top Wall I4 of the support member 1 by threaded bolts I5 and I6 provided with spacers I1 and I8. The strap I3 has two vertical end portions I9 and 2|) to each of which two holders 6 are attached in a horizontal position by a pair of threaded bolts 2| provided with nuts 22 and passing through the base end 23 of the holders 6 and through the end portions I9 and 20 of the strap I3. The holders 5 at the opposite end of the luminaire are attached to member I in the same manner. The lamps are thus supported in proper position with respect to the reflectors. The member 1 has suitable cut-out portions at its ends to accommodate the holders 5 and 6 as shown in Fig. 1.

The luminaire is supported by a pair yof metal conduits or pipes 24 attached to each end thereof and adapted to engage an electrical ceiling outlet 25. Each of the pipes 24 has a threaded end 2S (Fig. 2) passing through an opening in the outer end of a ballast cover 21 of metal, one at each end of the luminaire, attached to the top wall I4 of the support member 'I by bolts 28. Each of the pipes 24 is attached to a cover 21 by a lock nut 29 and a shoulder 30. The `top wall I4 of the member 1 is cut out under each of the covers 21 (Fig. 3) to accommodate the usual elongated lamp ballasts, one in each cover 21, each having a metal casing 3|. Each ballast is connected to two of the lamps and is supported partially in the cover 21 and partially in the wiring channel 8 (Fig. 3) by bolts 32 at each end thereof engaging threaded metal buttons 33 welded to the top Wall of the cover 21 and also engaging the brackets 34 welded to the usual ears 35 at the ends of the ballast casing 3l. The said ears 35 are cut out to accommodate the buttons 33 and the cut out portion thereof is bridged by the brackets 34.

The casings 3| are set back a suicient distance from the outer end of the covers 21 to clear the lamp holders 5 and 6 When they are inserted into and removed from the member 1. Access to the mounting space for the casings 3| is provided through an opening formed by cutting a portion of the bottom of the member 1 underneath the casings 3| so as to form doors 36 (Fig. 4). The said doors 36 are held in place by a straight metal strap 31 (Fig. 3) welded or soldered to one end thereof and held by bolts 38 and 39 on the strap I3 supporting the lamp holders 5 and 6. The other end of the doors 36 (Fig. 4) are held in place by an extension 40 which extends beyond the said end and rests on the adjacent parts of the reflectors 9 and Ill. Access to the bolts 38 and 39 is provided through openings 42 and 43 (Fig. 3) in reflectors 9 and I0.

The open ends of the Wiring channel 8 and covers 1 are closed by easily removable end plates 44 held in place by spring fingers (not shown) which frictionally engage the inner surfaces of the channel and the covers.

The two outer lamps i and 4 are shielded from view by the longitudially extending shields i5 and 4l of translucent material, suchv as glass, organic plastic or perforated metal strips, which are supported by the arms 48 bolted to the member 'i and provided with spring clips 59 of phosphor bronze. I prefer to so dimension and position the reflectors 5, I5, H and I2 and the shields 45' and 41 with respect to the lamps I, 2,. 3 and that the latter are shielded from direct` viewy from the side of the luminaire at viewing angles of about 35 to the horizontal. Also, I prefer to so mount the lamps I to 4 with respect to the elliptical reectors 9 to l2 that the image of the lamps are also shielded from direct view from the sides'of the xture at predetermined angles as described and claimed in the Allen Patent 2,337,437, issued December 2l, 1943.

The main support member 'I of the luminaire illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 is made up oi a plurality of longitudinal sections rigidly joined to each other by interlocking, joints 55 of the tongue and groove type separable by longitudinal displacementof the sections. The member 1 may be expanded :laterally to accommodate more lamps by inserting additional. trough shaped reflectorsections 9 and Il) ancla flat strip section between the bottom and .top edges of the side sections having the reflecting surfaces` I I and I2. The insertedl sections should, of course, have suitableinterlocking tongue` and groove surfaces for engagingthose Vofzthe sections illustrated. The longitudinalsections of the support member may be extruded out of aluminum or otherr suitable metal. The surfaces H and I2 and the surface of the trough sections 9 and It facing the lamps are polished so as to have high reectance for 'the light from the lamps.

When lateral expansion oi the support mem.- ber l is not considered necessary it maybe made inone pieceV as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which the same numbers denote the same parts as in the embodiment of theFigsltoi. The other parts of the luminaire may be attached to the member 'I of Figs. 5 and 6 as described above in. connection with Figs. 1 to 4. The memberV shown in Fig. 5 may be extruded out ofv aluminum and that shown in Fig. 6 may be rolled in two sections-5l and 5i of sheet metal joined by a rolled over or Weldedseam.

The luminaire. illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 except that the member providing the wiring channel and the reilecting surfaces is made up of three .longtw dinallyY extending hollow sections 52, 53 and 5d each. providing a Wiring channel. The side-Walls 55. of the sectionsare securedy to each other by bolts 55 to forma longWide, shallow main support member. sections has a fiat top wall 57 and a bottom wall 58shaped to form an elliptical reilector when the side walls 55 ofV the section are joined to` thoseV One of the side walls of each modatertl'lev tongue Si) of the sectionbolted there-- to. 'llheseotions 52, 5 3; and. 54V are thus rigidly fastened together by separable -jointsftoimake up- As shown in Fig, 8, each of thea rigid support'for the lamps and the auxiliary equipment. The sections obviously need not be displaced longitudinally when joining them together or Separating them.

In this embodiment the lamp holders 5 and 6 are supported by angle straps 64 and 65 held by bolts S5 to the top wall 5l of theouter sections 52 and 54 and the lamp ballast casing 3|' is supported by the ballast cover 21 bolted to the top wall 57 of the center section 53. The bottom Wall 55 of the center section 53 below the casing 3l has a removable portion 57 to give access to the lamp ballast. This portion 61 is supported at one end by a strap l553 resting on the adjacent parts `of the wall 58: and at the other end by an extensionsimilar to extension 40 of Fig. 4.

In addition to side shielding of the lamps, the luminaire shown in Figs. 7 to 9 also provides means for longitudinal shielding thereof. The said means comprises transverse louvers 10 tting into transverse slots in thel bottom surfaces 58. of sections 52, 53 and 54 and fastened tothelongitudinal side shields l'. The louvers "land, the shields 'l2 form a unit which is supported by hinges ISengaging the straps tand 65's() .that one end of t-he unit may be lowered out. of the. waywhen the lamps are to be replaced; Louvers 'i5 andA shields. 'i2 may be made of metal stri-ps weldedor soldered together. The. strips. may be. opaque or have a multiplicity of smallapertures.. therein so as to appear like translucent glassorv plastic. strips. when .illuminated by .the lamps..

Theluminaire of Figs, 'l'to 9.1nay be. laterally.v expanded by adding additional sections thereto. similar to those shown.:

What` I claim as.. new and desireto secure. by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. .Anelongated shallow luminaire of fthe Aceiling .suspended type for-.tubular lampscomprising a main support in theiorm of anelongated flat.. hollow metal support member havingA a. nat top. wall,V a. bottom wall and sidewalls spaced apart' to provide a. wiring channel in the interior,.of..v said support member, the saidbottom .and side walls of saidsupport member being light. reflect.- ing .and shaped in. the form of .parallel juxtaf. posed longitudinally extending light.concentrat.. ingtroughsopening outwardly of said supportmember and` having` common longitudinal .edges disposedy in a plane parallel with. said. flat top.V wall, lamp holder supports secured lto the-top.. Wall at the 'ends of -said supportV membenwith portions thereof extending downwardlytowarda. common. longitudinal edgeA of said troughsapairr of lamp holders mounted. on each. of said support.. portions and extending through theA sides of. and terminating within the troughs having said come.. mon edge to engage the ends .of and-support. tubular lamps Within saidtroughs, electrical. wires. extending from said holders and along said'wir.- ing .channel and means mountedat the .endsof said support member for engaging suspending.l meansfor said luminaire. y

2. A-luminaire asclaimed in claim4 1. wherein the means for engaging the suspendingn means. for the luminaire comprises an elongatelampbalr last coverv` attached to the top wall of saidsupport. member .and extending from the endftowardthe. center of said. wall and wherein alamp ballast. is mounted under said cover and connected withthe electr-ical. wires in. said channel..

3. A luminaire as claimed in claim. 1,.wher,ein. thetopwall of the metal member. is,cut..out..to provide 4.openings .adj acent .its ends, wherein lamp, ballast..equipment is. mountedlin saidlopenings...

5 and connected with the electrical Wires in said channel and wherein the means for engaging the suspending means for the luminaire comprises lamp ballast Covers over said. openings and said equipment.

GEORGE R. BAUMGARTNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number Bull Dec. 14, 1926 Katz Feb. 6, 1934 15 Number 

